The Jefferson girls’ basketball team went a perfect 5-0 in its pre-region schedule, and picked up an emphatic win heading into its Region 8-AAA opener.
The Dragons got 13 points from Deshona Gaither, 11 points from Livi Blackstock and nine points from Chloe Hiatt in a 70-34 rout of East Hall Saturday at the University of North Georgia.
Jefferson led 35-23 at the half, but blew the game open with an 18-6 run in the third quarter to take a 53-29 lead heading into the fourth.
“I was very pleased with how we played on Saturday especially with the early start time of the game,” first-year coach Greg Brown said. “Our depth and energy really took a toll on them especially in the second half of the game.”
Brown praised the bench play of Gracie Truelove, Keosha Sims, Jyesha Butts and Courtney Kidd “which is something that really helps us and we will continue to need going forward as we start region play this week.”
Jefferson was coming off a 47-26 win over Class AAAAA Habersham Central on Nov. 27. Gaither led the way with 13 points, followed by Blackstock who added 11 points.
Jefferson was slated to play its region opener this past Tuesday night but results weren’t available at press time. The Dragons will host non-region opponent Apalachee Friday at 7 p.m. and then return to region play Tuesday against Franklin County — a Final Four team from last year — at home at 6 p.m.

Jefferson softball player Katie Martin has a spot on Emmanuel College’s team as a student manager — and perhaps more.
The Dragon senior, who hit .258 with five RBIs the past season, will be part of the Lions’ roster with the possibility of trying out for the Emmanuel team.
“There’s a chance I could try out,” Martin said, “but right now I just want to get up there and help out.”
For the rest of this story, see the Dec. 5 edition of The Jackson Herald.

Jeanece Smith scored the Commerce Tigers’ opening nine points during Tuesday’s game at Galloway and the Tigers led 11-10 after the first quarter.
It was the last time the Tigers led in the game as Galloway scored 11-unanswered points to start the second quarter and could never be caught. Galloway defeated Commerce 43-31. Commerce is 3-1 on the season
Smith led the Tigers with 14 points. The senior had been averaging seven points per game entering Tuesday’s matchup. Autumn Mathis had five points and Bryanna Sanders and Shatoya Johnson scored four points apiece.
After Smith opened the game on a 9-point tear, Emma Davis added the Tigers’ last bucket for an 11-10 lead after the first. With Galloway’s fast start, Maggie Mullis ended the run with a free-throw. Mathis added a free-throw and Sanders added a bucket.
But, Galloway outscored Commerce 15-4 in the second quarter, good enough for a Galloway 10-point lead at halftime, 25-15. The Tigers managed 10 points in the third quarter, but were outscored by one point. Mathis opened the third quarter with back-to-back buckets. All four of Johnson’s points came in the third quarter.
The fourth quarter yielded little scoring from both teams. Carson Hobbs hit a free-throw, Smith connected for bucket plus the and-1. Sanders finished the Tigers’ scoring with two free-throws.
The Tigers travel to Social Circle on Friday.

One of Jefferson’s top scorers on its girls’ golf team has assured herself of at least four more years in the sport.
Mikayla Simonton signed with Truett McConnell during Jefferson’s Nov. 15 fall signing ceremony. Simonton expressed her appreciation to all who have aided her in her golfing career, noting that “there’s a lot that goes into being able to play.”
“I just want to thank everyone who’s been with me through this journey and helped me achieve my dreams,” Simonton said.
For the rest of this story, see the Dec. 5 edition of The Jackson Herald.

Hannah Poole, the home-run-smashing softball player of East Jackson, is looking to do more of the same in a new zip code next fall.
Poole, a senior Eagle, recently signed her letter of intent to play softball at Radford University. Radford is located in Virginia.
“I’m very excited,” Poole said on signing to play college softball. “This is something I’ve been dreaming about for a very long time.”
Radford University became the right fit because it felt like a “home atmosphere,” according to Poole.
“About the coaches at Radford, I know it’s going to be a lot of work playing at the next level, but I think they’re going to help me get prepared and strive for the best,” Poole said, “and help me play at the next level, because that’s what I’ve been dreaming of ever since I started playing the sport.”
At Radford, Poole will be reunited with former Eagle teammate, Jessie Marvin. On her official visit, Poole ate with the team, stayed with some of the players and got to see the campus.
“They were very welcoming and it made me very excited for next year,” Poole said.
For the rest of this story, see the Dec. 5 edition of The Jackson Herald.

Last season, the Commerce Tiger girls’ basketball team started the season 2-1, which was one of the best starts under head coach Brad Puckett.
This season, the team is doing one better. The Tigers are off to their best start under Puckett. The team started the season 3-0 with wins over Social Circle, Providence Christian Academy and Johnson. All three wins were decided by 22 points or more.
Puckett said the staff and team are very “excited” about the fast start to the season. But, the fast start has also shown him what the team needs to “get better” at, specifically on the offensive side of things.
“Offensively, we’re in the right places and we’re doing the right things, we’re just not hitting our shots right now is what it comes down to,” Puckett said. “A lot of our points have come off of us full-court pressing the other team and getting some turnovers and getting some fast-break layups.”
At the start of the year, Puckett said a goal was for the team to press for an entire ball game. But, he knows the team needs to work on its half-court offense, if and when teams are able to stop the full-court offense.
For the rest of this story, see the Dec. 5 edition of The Jackson Herald.

When the buzzer sounded at the end of the first quarter of this past Saturday’s North Georgia Showcase at the University of North Georgia in Dahlonega, the Banks County Leopards held a 10-point lead over Class 7-A’s Collins Hill. [Full Story »]

Against Dawson County during the North Georgia Showcase at the University of North Georgia in Dahlonega, the Banks County Leopards started the game with a 6-0 run and led by eight points after the first quarter. [Full Story »]

Last year, it took the Commerce Tigers three games to get its first win under head coach Russ Gregg.
In year two, it only took two games as the Tigers bounced back from an opening-game loss to defeat Providence Christian Academy 69-43. The Tigers went 1-2 in the first week of basketball action.
The Tigers traveled to Galloway on Tuesday. Results weren’t known before press time.
The Tigers followed their first win with a 74-51 loss to Johnson on Saturday. All three games to open the season were played at home.
For the rest of this story, see the Dec. 5 edition of The Jackson Herald.